Data transfer from a host server via a tunnel server to a wireless device, and associating a temporary IPV6 address with a temporary IPV4 address for communicating in an IPV4 wireless network with the device

• US 7,710,984 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Dunk, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo; Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): KAO, WEI-PO ERIC
• Application Number:
  US10/477,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20040264465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,692 Days
• Field of Search: 370/351, 370/395.52, 370/356, 370/396, 370/395.2, 370/395.31, 370/401, 370/405, 370/352, 370/235, 370/340, 370/341, 370/400, 370/229, 370/230, 370/231, 370/315, 370/327, 370/328, 370/329, 370/331, 370/338, 370/389, 370/392, 370/393, 370/466, 370/467
• US Class Current: 370/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4633 Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/52 Multiprotocol routers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/251 between different IP versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2528 Translation at a proxy
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/167 Adaptation for transition between two IP versions, e.g. between IPv4 and IPv6 translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses H04L61/2503
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 : Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/045 : involving different protocol versions, e.g. MIPv4 and MIPv6
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/14 : Backbone network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/02 : Inter-networking arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/24 : between backbone network devices

Abstract

A front end of an IPv6 communication network includes a network entry point device and a plurality of tunnel servers which facilitate the communication of user information between a host computer of an IPv4 communication network and an IPv6 wireless communication device. The network entry point device is configured to direct a tunnel request from the host computer to a selected tunnel server, which establishes a tunnel connection with the host computer. The tunnel server facilitates the communication of user information between the host and the wireless device through the tunnel connection. The tunnel server also performs a dynamic routing protocol (DRP). In accordance with the DRP, the tunnel server updates a local routing table to reflect the newly established tunnel connection and broadcasts updated routing table information to the other tunnel servers. In another related technical aspect, a back end of the IPv6 communication network facilitates communication with the IPv6 wireless device when it operates in an IPv4 wireless communication network.

Claims

1. A method in one of a plurality of tunnel servers of a serving network for facilitating a communication of user information between a host computer and at least one wireless communication device operative in a mobile communication network, where the serving network is not part of the mobile communication network and includes a network entry point device and a router between which the tunnel servers are connected, the router being operative to route communications between the tunnel servers and the mobile communication network, the method comprising the acts of;

receiving, at the tunnel server, a tunnel request from the host computer through the network entry point device;

establishing a tunnel connection having endpoints between the host computer and the tunnel server in response to the tunnel request;

updating a local routing table to reflect the newly established tunnel connection;

broadcasting, for receipt by at least one other tunnel server in the serving network, updated routing table information which reflects the newly established tunnel connection; and

facilitating a communication of user information, through the tunnel server via the tunnel connection, and through the router, between the host computer and the wireless communication device operating in the mobile communication network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tunnel server is coupled in an IPv6 communication network and communicates with the host computer which is coupled in an IPv4 communication network, and wherein the act of facilitating the communication of the user information via the tunnel connection comprises the further acts of:

receiving, from the host computer, IPv4-addressed data packets having user information;

decapsulating the IPv4-addressed data packets to reveal underlying IPv6-addressed data packets for communication to the wireless communication device;

receiving, from the wireless communication device, IPv6-addressed data packets having user information; and

encapsulating the IPv6-addressed data packets within IPv4-addressed data packets for communication to the host computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of facilitating the communication of the user information via the tunnel connection comprises the further acts of:

receiving, from the host computer, a first plurality of data packets having user information;

decapsulating the first plurality of data packets to reveal decapsulated data packets for communication to the wireless communication device;

receiving, from the wireless communication device, a second plurality of data packets having user information; and

encapsulating the second plurality of data packets to produce encapsulated data packets for communication to the host computer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a dynamic routing protocol is used in performing the acts of updating the local routing table and broadcasting the updated routing table information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

receiving, by the network entry point device, a new tunnel request from one of the host computers which has detected a communication failure with one of the tunnel servers;

selecting and directing, by the network entry point device1 the new tunnel request to a new one of the tunnel servers;

establishing, by the newly-selected tunnel server1 a new tunnel connection with the host computer; and

updating the local routing table and broadcasting updated routing table information which reflects the new tunnel connection.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of facilitating a communication of user information comprises facilitating synchronization of the user information, via the tunnel connection, between the host computer and the wireless communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of facilitating a communication of user information comprises providing for secure communications over the tunnel connection based on a Secure Shell (SSH) standard.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

receiving a new tunnel request from the host computer in response to a communication failure with the tunnel connection.

9. A method in a communication network for use in synchronizing user information between a plurality of host computers and a plurality of wireless communication devices operative in a mobile communication network which is outside of the communication network, the method comprising the acts of:

providing the communication network with a front end subnetwork and a core network, the front end subnetwork including a network entry point device and a plurality of tunnel servers, the tunnel servers being connected between the network entry point device and a first router of the communication network, the first router adapted to route communications between the tunnel servers and the core network, the communication network further including a second router operative to route communications between the core network and the mobile communication network;

receiving, at the network entry point device over a period of time, a plurality of tunnel requests from the host computers;

distributively sending, by the network entry point device, the plurality of tunnel requests to the tunnel servers;

establishing, by the tunnel servers, a plurality of tunnel connections between the host computers and the tunnel servers in response to the tunnel requests;

performing, by each tunnel server and the router, a dynamic routing protocol (DRP);

updating, by each tunnel server according to the DRP, a local routing table to reflect newly established tunnel connections;

broadcasting, by each tunnel server according to the DRP, updated routing table information which reflects newly established tunnel connections to other tunnel servers and the router; and

facilitating the synchronization of the user information between the host computers and the wireless communication devices operating in the mobile communication network through the tunnel server and the core network.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving, by the network entry point device, a new tunnel request from one of the host computers which has detected a communication failure with one of the tunnel servers;

selecting and directing, by the network entry point device, the new tunnel request to a new one of the tunnel servers;

establishing, by the newly selected tunnel server, a new tunnel connection with the host computer; and

performing, by the newly selected tunnel server, the DRP for updating the local routing table and for broadcasting updated routing table information.

11. A communication network for facilitating communications between a plurality of host computers and a plurality of wireless communication devices operative in a mobile communication network, the communication network comprising:

a network entry point device;

a plurality of tunnel servers;

a core network;

a first router;

the tunnel servers being connected between the network entry point device and the first router;

the first router being adapted to route communications between the tunnel servers and the core network;

a second router;

the second router being connected between the core network and the mobile communication network;

the second router operative to route communications between the core network and the mobile communication network;

the network entry point device being operative to direct a plurality of tunnel requests, received from a plurality of host computers over a period of time, to the plurality of tunnel servers in a distributed manner;

each tunnel server being operative to establish and maintain a plurality of tunnel connections between host computers and the tunnel server in response to tunnel requests received therefrom;

each tunnel server being operative to facilitate a communication of user information, via a tunnel connection, between each host computer having the tunnel connection established with the tunnel server and at least one wireless communication device; and

each tunnel server being operative to perform a dynamic routing protocol for updating a local routing table to reflect newly established tunnel connections and for broadcasting updated routing table information to the other tunnel servers.

12. The communication network of claim 11, wherein the communication network comprises an IPv6 communication network and at least one host computer communicates through an IPv4 communication network.

13. The communication network of claim 11, wherein each tunnel server is further operative to establish and maintain the plurality of tunnel connections which further comprise Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connections.

14. The communication network of claim 11, wherein the network entry point device comprises a local director.

15. The communication network of claim 11, wherein the network entry point device comprises a round-robin domain name server (DNS).

16. The communication network of claim 11, wherein the communication network comprises an IPv6 communication network and the at least one host computer communicates through an IPv4 communication network, and wherein each tunnel server is further operative to facilitate the communication of the user information via the tunnel connection by:

receiving, from the host computer, IPv4-addressed data packets having user information;

decapsulating the IPv4-addressed data packets to reveal underlying IPv6-addressed data packets for communication to the wireless communication device;

receiving, from the wireless communication device, IPv6-addressed data packets having user information; and

encapsulating the IPv6-addressed data packets within IPv4-addressed data packets for communication to the host computer.

17. The communication network of claim 11, wherein each tunnel server is further operative to facilitate the communication of the user information via the tunnel connection by:

receiving, from a host computer, a first plurality of data packets having user information;

decapsulating the first plurality of data packets to reveal decapsulated data packets for communication to the wireless communication device;

receiving, from the wireless communication device, a second plurality of data packets having user information; and

encapsulating the second plurality of data packets to produce encapsulated data packets for communication to the host computer.

18. The communication network of claim 11, wherein each tunnel server is further operative to perform the dynamic routing protocol for broadcasting the updated routing table information to the other tunnel servers and the first router.

19. The communication network of claim 11, wherein each tunnel server is operative to facilitate the communication of user information by being operative to facilitate synchronization of the user information, via the tunnel connection, between each host computer and the at least one wireless communication device.

20. The communication network of claim 11, further comprising:

each host computer being operative to detect a communication failure with a tunnel server; and

each host computer being operative to send a tunnel request for a new tunnel connection through the network entry point device in response to detecting the communication failure.

21. The communication network of claim 11, further comprising:

the first router being adapted to perform the dynamic routing protocol with the plurality of tunnel servers.

22. The communication network of claim 11, further comprising:

a front end subnetwork which includes the plurality of tunnel servers and the first router; and

the first router being operative to perform the dynamic routing protocol with the plurality of tunnel servers.